


Sarabande

by queen_scribbles



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2019-01-29 23:27:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12641469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles
Summary: Pillars Prompt Weekly; Masquerade. Got to cover Kana teaching Emiri how to dance in this one, which is something I'd been wanting to do for ages





	Sarabande

**Author's Note:**

> Pillars Prompt Weekly; Masquerade. Got to cover Kana teaching Emiri how to dance in this one, which is something I'd been wanting to do for ages

 

Kana was, as usual, reading when she found him. “Ah, there you are.” She laughed. “I don’t know why I didn’t start here...”

He looked up from his book at the sound of her voice. “Emiri. Did you need me for something?”

“Yes, actually. “Emiri rubbed her hands together nervously. “Y’know how we’re holding a small scale version of that fancy Aedyran festival thing next month when their delegation visits?”

“Yes.” Kana leaned forward in his chair, setting aside the book he’d been reading. “The Festival of Masks. It’s a rather important Aedyran tradition if I recall correctly. What about it?”

“I can’t... I mean I don’t....” She sighed and cracked her knuckles. “I-I don’t know how to dance.”

“Ah.” Kana nodded thoughtfully. “That does make sense.”

“And I was wondering... I mean, you’ve traveled a lot a-and you love learning about other cultures, do you know any of the dances they would _do_ at this kind of party? And if you do, can you teach me” Emiri leaned against the edge of the table and smiled sheepishly. “I’d ask Aloth, since he’s _actually_ Aedyran and educated and everything, but-” she held out a hand slightly below her shoulder- “there’s the height difference thing. You’re the only one in our group who’s taller than me. Otherwise I wouldn’t bother you.”

“It’s no bother, Emiri,” Kana assured her, pushing his chair back. “I’m only familiar with a few Aedyran dances, and one or two of Vailian origin they might include, but I’d be happy to help. We could even begin now, if you like.” He gestured at the book. “This was merely some recreational reading, nothing of real importance.”

“Really?” Emiri stuck a bookmark on his page and flipped the volume  closed. “ _An Historical Account of Eir Glanfath and Its People_ is recreational reading now?” She frowned. “I thought ‘an’ was just before vowels. Shouldn’t it be ‘a’?”

Kana chuckled. “’H’ can complicate matters sometimes, especially in older, more formal writing. But we can save the grammar lesson for later. Dancing strikes me as more important at the moment. Shall we?”

“No time like the present,” Emiri nodded, her halo shimmering in her peripheral vsion at a sudden rush of nerves. She waited for Kana to stand, then followed him from the room, silently thanking any gods who were listening that it was next to impossible to tell she was blushing.

><

The lessons went well over the next couple weeks. Emiri caught on to the Aedyran dances almost as quickly as she had to reading. And if Kana noticed that her palms were occasionally sweaty and she kept glancing at her feet, he must have attributed it to nervousness about messing up, not... anything else. They hit a slight snag when they moved on to the Vailian dances. While slow and stately, the first one also involved more steps apart from one’s partner. This made coaching more difficult, but the moments they stepped closer, hands raised and extended, fingers centimeters from touching, were reward enough for her. They took a break after a couple hours, both knowing from experience when the other would need a rest.

Today, after a few minutes of silence to catch their breath, Kana spoke up.  “Emiri, may I ask you something?” He looked nervous, which was something of a first for him.

“Anything.” Casually as she said the word, she meant it. If he asked for her deepest, darkest secret, she would have spilled her guts right there in the empty ballroom.

“I hope you don’t think I’m insensitive, but it’s not hard to notice that you’re an intelligent woman.”

Emiri’s face heated and her halo’s faint glow rippled. “I’m not hearing anything insensitive, Kana.”

Hee sighed, looked up at the star-painted ceiling before meeting her eyes and saying softly, “I can’t help but wonder what you would have made of yourself had things... turned out differently. I’m sure you would have been amazing, whatever it would have been.”

She snorted. “I’ve wondered about that myself. All I remember of my family is my parents were archivists and one of my brothers was an apprentice cartographer. I don’t know what strata of society we were, how big a city or village we lived in, anything. So I’ve let my imagination run wild many times. Even if being a cipher limited my options, there still could be a lot of choices.” A shrug. “Nothing I can do about it now.”

“Very true,” Kana said. “And Watcher of Caed Nua is impressive enough in its own right. However, even if we can’t do anything about the past, we can ensure you’ve mastered the sarabande before our guests arrive.” He stood and held out his hand.

Emiri took it and let him help her to her feet. “Is that what this dance is called, then?”

“Indeed it is,” Kana smiled as they walked apace back to the center of the room.  “It’s a relic of Old Vailia, from before the Republics were formed. Hence its migration to other cultures as well.“ He guided her to her starting position and--she could _almost_ believe reluctantly--let go of her hand. But she did always have a vivid imagination- “Ready?”

Emiri started slightly at his question and fumbled for half a second before nodding. “As I’ll ever be.”

><

True to his word, Kana had helped her master all the danced he knew well before the first of their guests arrived. The Aedyran delegation arrived three days into the trickle of guests; fashionably late, but still plenty of time to get settled in before the masquerade party.

“I still have some doubts about the wisdom of this,” Emiri admitted to Aloth and Kana as the three of them holed up in Brighthollow’s library. “Aedyr looks on ciphers about as kindly as it does animancy, I have no experience hosting parties this big--or at all, really--and if I screw it up, they’ll likely take it as a personal affront. We _did_ decided to do a masquerade since it’s the time for the Festival of Masks-”

“Emiri. Emiri, calm down.” Aloth offered a reassuring smile. “I’m sure it will be fine. You planned everything out, and your staff here is very competent. I’m sure they’ll handle any problems that may arise before they become significant issues.” Seeing that she was still unsure, fingers picking at the green threads of one bracelet, he continued, “And if this delegation is willing to cross thousands of miles of ocean to meet with you, they obviously think your favor worth currying. Which means this group doesn’t find your cipher abilities off-putting--What?”

Emiri shook her head, still staring at him. “So... you’re thousands of miles from home?”

“In the loosest sense of the word _home_ possible,” he conceded with a sheepish half-shrug. “But the distance is mostly by choice, Emiri. And we were talking about _you_.”

“Oh, fine. But I will be revisiting this point with you at a later date.” _And not too terribly later either._ She’d had no idea that much ocean lay between the Dyrwood and Aedyr. Aloth never talked about the distance or his home country, unlike Kana and Sagani, so she’d simply never thought of it.

“That’s fair. What’s making you question the wisdom of a masquerade?” Aloth asked, steering the conversation back to its proper topic.

“Well, I mean...” Emiri spread her arms and looked down at herself. “I kind of stand out. If the silver-blue hair and halo don’t do it, my height certainly will. I’m gonna be one of two people there significantly over six feet tall--”

“Actually, there was one fellow among the Aedyrans who was rather tall,” Kana interrupted. “We won’t be alone. And the finery and masks are more ceremonial than anything. They aren’t truly supposed to conceal your identity.”

“Oh, well, good.” Emiri pushed out of her chair with a sigh. “Speaking of finery and masks, I have to meet the seamstress to finalize what I’m wearing. But you two can keep reading or talking or whatever.”

They’d both pulled out books before she lost her line of sight through the doorway.

><

After a flurry of last-minute activities and problem solving--and a few more hasty dance lessons with Kana to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything--Emiri stood in front of a mirror, checking over her outfit just _one more time_. The seamstress had protested Emiri’s refusal to wear a dress, but then risen to the presented challenge, pulling together an ensemble of an Aedyran-inspired tunic that hung almost to Emiri’s knees and close-fitting pants that were surprisingly comfortable. Emiri had finished off the outfit with simple flat shoes and a silver trimmed dark blue velvet mask that curled like ocean waves at the edges. Given that she was going  to stand out no matter what she did, she’d opted for _simple and elegant_ for her wardrobe, and--odd as it felt to be dressed fancy--she had to admit she looked nice. That was a relief. She’d been worried she would look ridiculous.

Her concern faded even more when she met Kana in the hallway and he grinned beneath his yellow and red mask. “You look lovely.”

Emiri’s face heated and her sheepish smile pressed against her own mask.  “Thank you. Regret being roped in as my escort yet?”

Kana shook his head. “Never. Besides, you’re the Watcher, the Lady of Caed Nua, and especially blessed by the gods. Everyone will be looking at _you_ , not me.” He offered her his arm. “Come on. If we take much longer to arrive you’ll be pushing from _fashionably late_ to _embarrassingly tardy_ , and we can’t have that.”

“Yes, what a shame that would be,” Emiri said breezily as she took his arm, willing her heart to slow.

“It’s worthwhile to try and ally with these Aedyrans, Emiri,” Kana said as they walked. “And pushing the bounds of courtesy is not the way to do that. I know parties like this are not your favorite thing. But I’ll be there, as will Pallegina and Aloth. You’re not facing this alone.”

“I know,” Emiri said with a nervous smile. “But the reminder is nice.”

They walked in silence the rest of the way to the ballroom, which was very much _not_ empty this time. As the doors opened so Emiri and Kana could enter, the musicians started playing.

She recognized the opening notes of a sarabande and swallowed a wave of panic before whispering, “We’re _starting_ with this one?!” She would have preferred something that let her stay closer to someone familiar while she acclimated to the crowd.

“It’s one of the ones you know best,” Kana murmured reassuringly as they walked toward the dance floor. “I have faith in you.”

Emiri was denied a reply as they had to separate for the beginning of the dance. She she focused on the steps. Not the milling crowd or masked nobility, not the nerves sitting heavy  in the pit of her stomach, not wondering where her other friends were, just one step at a time, to get her through the dance. Even if its ending meant she’d have to mingle, she would be slightly less the center of attention. Slightly. 

To her surprise and Kana’s vindication, she didn’t miss a single step. “See?” he whispered. “You’re fine.”

“I hope that stays true,” she muttered as one of the visiting Aedyrans approached and asked to speak with Kana about his studies of Engwithan lore. “Looks like I’m not the only one here with a reputation,” Emiri said with a smile, forcing herself to let go of his arm--rather than cling tightly to have something familiar as a safety net. “I’m sure I’ll find someone to talk to.”

She did. Several someones, in fact. All wanting to chitchat and get in good with the savior of the Dyrwood, make it clear they didn’t look down on her origin or abilities. Emiri smiled politely, chatted, thanked them for coming, and savored the breaks between conversations. She glimpsed Pallegina a few times, easily spotted for largely the same reason Emiri herself was, but never caught sight of Aloth. Which, given that he shared her opinion of fancy parties, meant he was probaly hiding in a corner or alcove somewhere. If she didn’t have to play the hostess, she probably would have tracked him down and joined him. Kana might thrive off social situations like this, but she sure as Hel didn’t.

“My lady.”

Emiri was pulled from her reverie by the quiet greeting, and found herself _almost_ eye to eye with what she assumed was the tall fellow Kana had mentioned from the Aedyran delegation. Warm green eyes studied her from behind a dark purple raven mask and under a loose tangle of blond curls, just a couple inches shorter than her.

She smiled back, guessing from the quality of his clothes he was at least equal to her rank. “My lord.”

“I apologize if I’m being too forward, but would you like to share a dance?” he asked, bowing slightly.

“It’s only too forward if the request doesn’t come with a name,” Emiri replied, smile widening. She appreciated his directness.

“Oh, of course, that’s only good manners.” He bowed even further. “Alden Brethart, Thayn of the eastern Cythwood. I’ve only recently come into the title, so I find myself forgetting it more often than I should.” He straightened and offered her his hand. “How’s that?”

“Perfectly acceptable, Thayn Brethart. I’m new to nobility myself and don’t much care for ceremony.” Emiri hesitated only briefly before taking his hand.  “Hopefully, however, I can do justice to your dance.”

“Well, if you don’t insist on ceremony, is it too forward to ask that you call me Alden? I still think of my father as thayn, and...”

"I understand,” Emiri nodded, waving off the rest of his explanation. “I’m very familiar with stepping into a role that feels like it should belong to someone else.”

“Well, then,” Alden chuckled. “Let’s enjoy a dance, shall we, Lady Emiri?”

“If you’re just Alden, then I’m just Emiri,” she corrected, smiling to herself as the musicians struck the opening notes of another sarabande. Kana must have told them it was her strongest dance. She’d have to thank him for that. “I insist.”

“Well, if the lady insists, what can I do but comply?” Alden said with an accommodating nod, still smiling slightly.. “You appear to know this dance quite well, Emiri.”

“I had an excellent teacher,” she demurred, glancing around for Kana and flashing a smile when she caught his eye.

“Thank them for me, it makes you an excellent partner.” He paused as they steps pulled them apart. “But you also seem to have a natural talent as well.”

“I’m sure being close in height helps, too,” Emiri remarked teasingly.

“It definitely doesn’t _hurt,_ ” Alden acknowledged with a sheepish chuckle. “Most dances don’t account for a height difference of more than four or five inches. That’s a difficult standard for me to meet.”

“Same for me,” Emiri sympathized. “Why d’you think I begged my aumaua friend to be my escort?” There were other reasons, but she wasn’t going to share them with a stranger, even one who seemed as friendly as Alden.

“You did make a very striking couple as you entered the room. It was a good choice; made a lasting impression.”

“As long as it was a good impression...”

“I think it was,” Alden assured her. “My countryman love a good entrance, particularly one that’s fashionably late.”

“Good to know.” Emiri stepped back and curtsied--despite her lack of a skirt--as the song came to an end. “Thank you for the dance, it was quite enjoyable.”

“I enjoyed myself as well,” Alden said as he bowed. “Perhaps we can do it again later in the evening. For now, I’ll let you return to mingling.”

“Ah, yes, the hostess duties call,” Emiri muttered as she turned back to the crowd. She was sure she heard Alden laugh at that, but when she glanced over her shoulder, he had already vanished from sight.

><

She spent a lot of time mingling. There were a few more dances with Kana, and a couple more with Alden, but eventually even her duty as hostess wasn’t a compelling enough reason to hold Emiri in the ballroom another minute. Fortunately for her, that point came as people were beginning to leave anyway. So she stood outside and bade various guests goodnight until she really couldn’t stand in any more and excused herself. She kicked off her shoes in the hallway as she retreated to one of her favorite balconies in hopes of being alone with the stars.

She got half of her wish. The stars were out and brightly shining, but Kana was already sitting there, leaning back against the wall. He smiled when he saw her.

“I was wondering if we would have similar ideas on how to unwind,” he said, sliding over so she could sit next to him.

“Great minds and all that,” Emiri laughed as she slid to the ground. “Thank you for all your help. Dance lessons, emotional support, all of it is greatly appreciated.”

Happy to be of service,” he grinned. “And thank you for making it so easy. You’re a quick study, open to critique, and not afraid to ask for help when you need it. I’m glad tonight went so well.” He bumped her shoulder with his. “I saw you made a new friend.”

Emiri shrugged, eyes on the stars. It was good to have the real thing overhead, rather than the painted ones that decorated the ballroom ceiling. “Us tall people have to stick together. And much as I love dancing with you, variety was nice.” She leaned her head back til it rested against the wall. “But now I just want to sit here, in silence, and enjoy both the view and the company.”

“An admirable plan,” Kana nodded, and the two of the finally relaxed under the canopy of stars.

 


End file.
